Resources/Links

Bloomington:

• VisitBloomington.com is the site of our local visitors’ bureau — here you’ll find extensive info about lodging, restaurants, and other things to explore while you’re in Bloomington.

• Downtown Bloomington has a lot going on, all the time.

• Check BIRA (Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association) for interesting independent eateries.

• The City of Bloomington’s BEAD (Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District) helps locals and visitors alike get a better grasp on Bloomington’s diverse and extensive arts offerings.

• Walk (or bike) the B-Line Trail. It’s a rails-to-trails urban park with public art and easy access to restaurants and other places of interest downtown.

• On Saturday mornings (April – early November), don’t miss the Bloomington Farmers Market, one Indiana’s finest.

• Indiana University Bloomington has a whole world of “best-kept secrets” for folks who think of campus mostly as a student zone or the home of the School of Music. A few high points:
  • Mathers Museum of World Cultures
  • IU Art Museum and the IU SoFA Gallery
  • Lilly Library
  • The Kinsey Institute galleries
  • Lovely green space to explore

• For kids and families downtown: WonderLab Science Museum and the Monroe County History Center.

• World music publicity firm rockpaperscissors is Bloomington-based. Their client roster includes many Lotus Festival faves.

Also of interest …

• The Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts

• Chicago World Music Festival

• Madison [Wisconsin] World Music Festival

• Global Union Festival [Milwaukee]

• Global Roots Festival [Minneapolis], at the Cedar Cultural Center

• ¡Globalquerque! [Albuquerque]

• Musical Instruments Museum [Phoenix]